An oil spill is the release of different types of oils such as diesels or liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into different bodies of water around the world. When the oil spills into the waters, the effect on the environment may be fatal to the living creatures in that ecosystem. The oil kills plants and greenery and pollutes the waters putting so many different marine species in danger. Sea otters, seabirds and seals insulation abilities are reduced when they come in contact with the oil leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Due to the fact that oil floats, it blocks out the sun, preventing photosynthesis from taking place which creates a disturbance in the food chain. Oil spills take months even years to clean up and even when all the oil is cleared the affect of the damage still remains.
5 Largest oil spills
Gulf War oil spill
Location: Persian Gulf
Date: January 23, 1991
volume spilled: 136,000 - 1,500,000 tonnes
Ixtoc oil well
Date: June 3, 1979- March 23, 1980
volume spilled 454,000 - 480,000 tonnes
Atlantic Empress / Aegean Captain
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Date: July 19, 1979
Volume spilled: 287,000 tonnes
Fergana Valley
Location: Uzbekistan
Date: March 2, 1992
Volume spilled: 285,000 tonnes
Nowruz oil field
Location: Persian Gulf
Date: February 1983
Volume spilled: 260,000 tonnes
Oil Spills
An oil spill is the release of different types of oils such as diesels or liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into different bodies of water around the world. When the oil spills into the waters, the effect on the environment may be fatal to the living creatures in that ecosystem. The oil kills plants and greenery and pollutes the waters putting so many different marine species in danger. Sea otters, seabirds and seals insulation abilities are reduced when they come in contact with the oil leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Due to the fact that oil floats, it blocks out the sun, preventing photosynthesis from taking place which creates a disturbance in the food chain. Oil spills take months even years to clean up and even when all the oil is cleared the affect of the damage still remains.5 Largest oil spills
Gulf War oil spill
Location: Persian Gulf
Date: January 23, 1991
volume spilled: 136,000 - 1,500,000 tonnes
Ixtoc oil well
Date: June 3, 1979- March 23, 1980
volume spilled 454,000 - 480,000 tonnes
Atlantic Empress / Aegean Captain
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Date: July 19, 1979
Volume spilled: 287,000 tonnes
Fergana Valley
Location: Uzbekistan
Date: March 2, 1992
Volume spilled: 285,000 tonnes
Nowruz oil field
Location: Persian Gulf
Date: February 1983
Volume spilled: 260,000 tonnes
soucre: http://www.oilism.com/oil/2007/12/28/the-biggest-oil-spills-in-history/